Figure 1.--Here we see an English boy in a knickers suit, we think in the early 20th century before World War I. The cap suggests it was probably a school uniform or school clothes. All we know about the boy is that he was from Cleveland. He looks to be about 13 years old.

Modern knickers were esentially invented by mid-19th Century country squires as they found them more practical country wear than trousers. They were called knickerbockers. Knickers were being worn by English school boys by the late-19th Century. They were extensively worn by older boys in England. The English knickers were close fitting pants that came below the knee. By the 1910s shorts were becoming more important in England, in part because of the inluence of Lord Baden Powell's Scout movement. Knickers in the early 20th century had the meaning of short trousers which I believed continued until after World War II. One reader whose father operatred a mens' wear store tells us that his father used knickers for short trousers into the 1950s. English boys by the 1920s more commonly wore shorts although some older English boys wore knickers. Most English boys, however, when they outgrew short pants wore long pants. Knickers in the 1920s and 30s were not nearly as popular in England as in America. A British reader writes, "I certainly never saw them being worn here and believe they died out even earlier - maybe the 1920s - at which point most boys were wearing short trousers. By the way the word itself - "knickers" today has the meaning of women's underwear here and would cause us to giggle as kids in the 1970s. I'm writing part of my memories based around this fact as there was an expensive ice-cream called a "knickerbocker glory" sold at seaside resorts here and this brought back some amusing memories.I believe knickers is the short form of knickerbockers but I don't know why the ice-cream was so-called,

Origins

Modern knickers were esentially invented by mid-19th Century country squires as they found them more practical country wear than trousers.

Terminology

They were called knickerbockers. Knickers in the early 20th century had the meaning of short trousers which I believed continued until after World War II. One reader whose father operatred a mens' wear store tells us that his father used knickers for short trousers into the 1950s. A British reader writes, "By the way the word itself - "knickers" today has the meaning of women's underwear here and would cause us to giggle as kids in the 1970s. I'm writing part of my memories based around this fact as there was an expensive ice-cream called a "knickerbocker glory" sold at seaside resorts here and this brought back some amusing memories.I believe knickers is the short form of knickerbockers but I don't know why the ice-cream was so-called," Another reader writes, "Like I say I only remember things from the 60s/70s and onwards. For us,us kids,it was almost a forbidden word - almost akin to a swearword.This was still true even in the 90s. I did some work in the theatre (backstage) in the 90s and worked on a pantomime.The usual audience participation thing went on.Skateboards were a big Christmas thing with kids then and the "hero" used to enter on one. Then he'd leave it at the side of the stage and ask the kids in the audience if they'd keep an eye on it for him.There is an English term for to steal or to pinch something and that is to "nick" something ( this may be just a London term - I'm not sure).Anyway the "hero" of the play wuld ask the kids to shout out "Nickers" if they saw anyone - the "Villain" of course coming on stage to "nick" his skateboard.The kids loved it - shouting out a "rude" word in front of their teachers ( we used to do matinee performances for schools ) - but some of the teachers complained. Maybe this connatation - with women's underwear - only took root in the 60s when I was growing up. I never heared shorts referrred to as knickers.

Suits

As far as we can tell, knickers were mostly suit pants. I don't think it was very common, as it was in America, to just but a pair of knickers separate from a suit coat.

Ages

Schoolwear

Knickers were being worn by English school boys by the late-19th Century. They were extensively worn by older boys in England.

Chronology

The English knickers were close fitting pants that came below the knee. By the 1910s shorts were becoming more important in England, in part because of the inluence of Lord Baden Powell's Scout movement. English boys by the 1920s more commonly wore shorts although some older English boys wore knickers. Most English boys, however, when they outgrew short pants wore long pants. Knickers in the 1920s and 30s were not nearly as popular in England as in America or even the continent. . A British reader writes, "I certainly never saw them being worn here and believe they died out even earlier - maybe the 1920s - at which point most boys were wearing short trousers."

Social Class

We are not yet sure about social class conventions. As far as we can tell, knickers were largely a middle and upper class style. We less commonly see working-class boys wearing them. Thisis, owever, still an initial impression and we are still trying gonassess this.

Construction

We have only limited information on the construction of English knickers. we notice John Montagu Slopford in 1871. His knickers had draw string closures. The boy here in the early-20th century looks to have a band rather like American boys at the time, presumably with a button closure (figure 1).

Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web chronological pages:
[The 1900s] [The 1910s] [The 1920s] [The 1930s] [The 1940s] [The 1950s]

Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web style pages:
[Jackets] [Long pants suits] [Blazers] [Kilts] [S ailor suits] [Short pants suits]
[Ring bearer/page costumes] [Eton suits]

Created: March 6, 2004
Last edited: 12:28 AM 2/6/2009